Antislip device for footwear



July 5, 1938: D F. MARZIANI 23 ANTISLIP DEVICE FOR FOOTWEAR Filed Nov. 3, 1934 INVENTQR Fran/c Mar 1am ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to footwear and more particularly to detachable anti-slip devices therefor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device or devices, preferably of metal, adapted to be removably inserted into recesses in the sole or heel of footwear for outdoor use, and to provide these devices with spurs or the like to insure safe footing on icy or slippery surfaces.

Another object resides in the provision of devices of this character which are preferably made of a tough springy material such as steel and to provide in the bottom surface of the footwear pockets to receive the ends of the devices for easy insertion and removal of said devices.

These and other objects of the invention will in part be hereinafter set forth and in part apparent from the following specification, descriptive of the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an article of outdoor footwear incorporating a preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the sole thereof as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a device receiving recess and an end pocket.

Fig. 4 is a combined elevational and sectional view of a heel for such footwear incorporating a form. of the invention applicable thereto.

While the herein illustration shows the invention applied to the sole and heel of a womens rubber or overshoe, it is of course apparent that the invention may be utilized on men's footwear of a like type and attachable soles and heels for ordinary footwear.

In the present disclosure, the sole 5 of the overshoe is preferably provided on its wearing surface with one or more recesses 6 of suitable shape and depth. In this instance it is preferred that they be quite narrow and relatively long and that each narrow end be provided with a pocket 1 opening into the material of the sole. In this manner there is provided a retaining lip 8 which forms the bottom wall of the pocket.

The anti-skid device 9 is preferably made of a tough springy strip of material such as spring steel and is wide enough to exactly fit its recess and is of sumcient length so its ends l0 may fit into the pockets, 1.

The device 9 is made of a springy material so it may be easily inserted into its recess by simply being fiexed and thereby shortened so its ends may be placed in their respective pockets. The tendency of the device to straighten will insure its snug fit in the recess.

Removal of the device from its recess is also simple, it being only necessary to insert the blade of an instrument such as a knife or screw driver under the approximate middle of the strip and pull until the ends I0 leave the pockets 1.

The devices are preferably provided with means such as the spurs II which may be integrally formed with the strip or attached thereto in any of the well known manners and may be designed according to the use they are to be put to. They may be quite sharp as shown or be mere roughenings of lesser length.

The heel of the overshoe may be provided with anti-skid devices and they may be attached in the manner hereinbefore described, but in some instances it is not convenient to so attach them, the heels of womens over-shoes often not providing sufiicient surface for a long strip. In that event, the device may comprise a T- shaped member l2 of the same material as the strips 9 set into a recess 13 of the same size and shape and securely held in position by the integrally formed portion M which lies in the slot l5 and which is formed with a latch end I6 engaging the abutment I! which is a wall of the recess communicating the slot l5 to the outer surface of the heel.

The anti-skid device l2 may be formed with a portion l8 adapted to abut the front face of the heel and be supported thereby.

In some instance it may be desired to mould the rubber of the over-shoe around the strips 9 but leaving the lower face thereof exposed as illustrated with the ends in naturally formed pockets from which they may be removed as above set forth. In this case perfect fit of the strips in their respective recesses is insured.

While the above is descriptive of a preferred form of the invention it is not desired that the scope thereof be limited to this specific disclosure since many changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the meaning and spirit of the following claim.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple device for the purpose has been disclosed in the preferred form of its embodiment, but it is not desired to restrict the details to the exact construction shown, it being obvious that changes, not involving the exercise of invention,

may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:-

In foot-wear, a sole having a plurality of elongated depressions in its tread surface, pockets communicating with the ends of each depression, fiat spring members having their ends inserted into the pockets of each depression with the body of the spring members fitting snugly within the depressions and anti-skid portions in the form of spurs struck up from the spring members to extend beyond the tread surface of the sole, said members being readily removable from the depressions and pockets without impairment of the sole.

FRANK MARZIANI. 

